--- title: MPQ Blog description: Officially licensed U.S. Military plaques, retirement awards, command gifts and government seals. GSA registered and SDVOSB certified manufacturer. canonical_url: https://www.militaryplaques.com/table/articles/ language: en-GB date: 2024-08-19T02:59:36Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://www.militaryplaques.com/table/articles/. markdown-tokens: 2088 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://www.militaryplaques.com/table/articles/. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. ![How to throw a military retirement party](https://www.militaryplaques.com/images/innerpages/blog/mpq-logo-blog.jpg) What is a military retirement party supposed to be like? What food is expected? Who are you going to invite? How do you even start to pull it off? These are probably the question you are asking right now while you’re planning to throw a military retirement party. Stand at ease and worry not! Here are some ideas for that military retirement party for your soldier. [ Read more … ](https://www.militaryplaques.com/articles/how-to-throw-a-military-retirement-party) [How to Fold a Flag for a Shadow Box](https://www.militaryplaques.com/products/shadow-boxes "How to Fold a Flag for a Shadow Box") is a simple and easy guide to show how this important task is to be done right. The folded flag is not only intended as a memorabilia of your Military career but it also serve as way to honor and recognize the recipient’s service so it's imperative you have this done the correct way. Medals, awards, badges, insignias or items that signify the history of a personnel’s career is included in a Shadow Box. The Stars'n'Stripes flag is a perfect addition in a Servive man or woman's Shadow Box’s content. The US National Flag placed in a Shadow Box symbolizes that our country benefited from the loyal service of the recipient of the shadow box. The United States has a special way of folding a flag that is reserved for our county alone. For Shadow Boxes, it is typical that flags are folded in the appearance of a tri-cornered hat, symbolic of the hats worn by colonial soldiers during the War of Independence. Here are the steps on how to properly fold a flag for a Shadow Box or any military ceremony: 1. First, hold the flag waist-high with another person so that its surface is parallel to the ground. 2. Fold the lower half of the stripe section lengthwise over the field of stars, holding the bottom and top edges securely. 3. Fold the flag again lengthwise with the blue field on the outside. 4. Make a triangular fold by bringing the striped corner of the folded edge to meet the open or top edge of the flag. 5. Turn the outer or end point inward, parallel to the open edge, to form a second triangle. 6. The triangular folding is continued until the entire length of the flag is folded in this manner. Note: When the flag is completely folded, only the triangular blue field of stars should be visible. For quality Shadow Boxes, choosing MilitaryPlaques.Com ensures that your loved-one or retiring co-personnel can have the best as a tribute for the recipient’s service. Order Now! **Order now from our wide selection of highest quality and unique shadow boxes that you can have in a lifetime without changing! You can click the button below to see more samples.** [CLICK HERE](https://www.militaryplaques.com/component/hikashop/?lang=en-us) [MilitaryPlaques.Com](https://www.militaryplaques.com/) also offers Tail Flashes, Presentation Plaques, Deployment Plaques, Insignia Plaques, Patch-to-Plaques and more. Click here for more information. # Presentation Plaques Presentation plaques are great for surprises! They are perfect gifts or awards to military, government, university, and corporates during any celebration, presentation, event, or ceremony. So if you have a friend, family, or colleague you want to amaze in his or her graduation, recognition, deployment, or retirement, we are here to help you design and make a quality plaque for him or for her! All you need to do is talk to our artist team about your specifications for your presentation plaque. You must include the design and the wordings/quotes/message with your desired shape, size, and color of the plaque. If you have an unfinished design, we can help you complete it or if you haven't, we can work with you to create the design you want. You don't need to pay additional fees for the artwork set-up because that's our way of giving our customers great service for over 20 years! Our world-class presentation plaques are made of high-quality mahogany wood and brass in 3D relief and hand-painted in full color or as specified. These are usually hung or displayed on walls or podiums. The one who will receive it can also add this plaque to his or her service memorabilia. There is no minimum order required even for the custom-designed presentation plaques! No US standard shipping delivery, too. So, order now! **Order now from our wide selection of highest quality and unique presentation plaques that you can have in a lifetime without changing! You can click the button below to see more samples.** [ORDER NOW](https://www.militaryplaques.com/component/hikashop/?lang=en-us) ![](https://www.militaryplaques.com/images/innerpages/blog/mpq-logo-blog.jpg) Who would say no to a gift? We can’t deny our excitement when surprises are always present and that includes gift-giving. Pick out the perfect gift for your loved ones in the military as easy as one, two, three. Let us help you out! Here are some gift ideas you could give to your loved ones or friends in the military. [ Read more … ](https://www.militaryplaques.com/articles/gifts-for-military-men-and-women) Military retirement plaques are a great way to acknowledge and honor the dedicated service of departing US military personnel. Retirement plaques are often given as gifts or tokens to commemorate the loyalty and dedication of a retiree. They can either come from their own unit or from colleagues from the military service. Military Plaques can offer you the widest choices of military retirement plaques that range from the most basic up to the most complex design of your choice. If you cannot figure out the right words to say on the plaque, keep in mind these guidelines on how to make your military retirement plaque sayings concise, professional, and meaningful at the same time. Answer these questions before clicking our online order form: Who is the recipient Who will be giving the plaque? How many years of service did the recipient render? When is the plaque presented? With this basic information, your retirement/ presentation plaque will likely appear this way: If you have additional instructions or details to be included on the plaque, be sure to indicate them on the order form. If you need more assistance with your retirement plaque design and wordings, contact us at via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via phone 1-800 313 1876. ![Drug Enforcement Administration Atlanta Field Division Special Agent Plaque](https://www.militaryplaques.com/images/innerpages/blog/mpq-logo-blog.jpg) Receiving an award after giving out an exceptional service is truly fulfilling. So, why not give the unique and quality gift for everyone in service who deserves to be awarded? [ Read more … ](https://www.militaryplaques.com/articles/drug-enforcement-administration-atlanta-field-division-special-agent-plaque) [ ![](https://www.militaryplaques.com/images/mpq-images/mpqlogo-v3.png) ](https://www.militaryplaques.com/) Company Data - American Plaque - Company - 1905 Twisting Pine Court - Mishawaka, IN 46544-6881 U.S.A. Legal Business Name: - American Plaque - Company - Federal Tax ID: - 27-2920261 - DUNS: 963256842 - CAGE/NCAGE: 63V32 NAICS Codes: - 321211, 321999, 337211, - 337215, 339950 - PSC Codes: 7110, 8455, - 9905, 9999 - FSC Codes: 8455, 9905 Copyright © 2025 All Rights Reserved. MilitaryPlaques.com is main outlet of the American Plaque Company family of brands. All sites are operated by a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).